About

$88,350

pledged of $40,000 goal

294

backers

To support us, click "Back this Project" on the right, or click directly on any of the available rewards (like "THE HEAVY WEIGHT OILER").

OUR STORY

As riders of vintage choppers, we were determined to create a motorcycle vest worthy of a lifetime of road-weathered abuse and resilient enough to tell your story with each chapter getting better with age. With this in mind, we set out to find the highest quality materials in the world to create a vintage-inspired, utilitarian design and sell them at a price that doesn’t leave anyone in the dust.

By adopting a crowdsourcing model, we let you decide what we will make. This allows us to design a roadworthy collection with a direct connection to the riders who buy them.
This approach affords us a huge savings and we plan on passing that savings back to you with every roadworthy garment we produce. The result? An insane design available at a sane price – our WHOLESALE price.

In the process of creating our reversible Dig vest, meticulously designed & made from the finest materials in the world, our retail pricing soared to well over $600. With a crowdsourcing approach for every garment we make, it is now possible to put masterful design and premium quality on the backs of all riders at a price that makes sense.

A Groundbreaking Approach That Puts You In Charge!

Our plans are to create an entire collection of premium roadwear where each of our garments will be available within our online store. To continue to offer these insane designs at sane prices after the successful completion of our Kickstarter campaign, we will press on with the crowdsourcing model you see here - once we reach our funding goal for each design, it gets made and delivered to your door. We put YOU in charge of what ultimately gets produced. With your support anything is possible!

"Dig" Vest in THE RAD JAPAN

HOW CAN YOU GET INVOLVED?

To support us, click Back This Project or select one of the reward levels to the right (pictures of some of the rewards are below).

When we've raised $40K, we can buy all the materials and have the vests handcrafted in Frisco.

At $80K we will also be able to create a collection, and you can choose what we produce next.

THE QUALITY IS IN THE DETAILS

We only use the finest selvedge denim (what is selvedge?) from American-based Cone Mills (White Oak plant), Japan (Kuroki, Kurabo & Nihon Menpu - why Japanese?) & Italy-based Candiani Mills. These mills produce the most rare & beautiful selvedge denim in the world - we can't guarantee that we will be able to find it again. All of the denim we use is sanforized & made on vintage shuttle looms which produces a heavier, age-worthy material that gets better with abuse.

For THE RAD JAPAN we're using a 14.5 oz. dark indigo selvedge from Kurabo Mills in Japan. This is without a doubt some of the finest Japanese denim there is. With a complex and grainy texture combined with a rich indigo dye, this denim is sure to produce a uniquely beautiful fading pattern. A more pronounced classic solid red bordered by white selvedge id than most - makes for a bigger statement on the facing of the Dig vest where the selvedge accent is the most noticeable.

14.5 oz. Kurabo Mills Selvedge Denim - Used in the Rad Japan.

For THE BLACK we're using a heavy-weight black selvedge denim from one of the finest mills in JAPAN. The warp and weft are black so this is as black as it gets.

Heavy-weight Black Selvedge Denim - Used in the The Black and Black & Blue.

For THE BLACK & BLUE we're using a 14.5 oz. dark indigo selvedge from THE RAD JAPAN for the lower part of the vest and for the yoke (upper portion) we're using the same fabric from THE BLACK.

For THE HEAVY WEIGHT OILER we're using Cone Mills selvedge denim that has been waxed using the same process applied to the waxed pistol and cigarette/Zippo pockets. At a glance, this denim looks like its been dipped in heavy weight motor oil, but to the touch has a substantial leathery feel that will surprise even the biggest denim devotees. We are one of the first to offer this extremely rare fabric. The whole vest is water repellent not just the pockets. After the wax is applied using a process cloaked in secrecy, the denim weighs in at over 17 oz. per yard. As this fabric ages, it develops a well-worn and comfortable patina (see "Pocket Lining" below for more info on waxed fabric). When it gets too dirty for your liking, all you have to do is hose it off.

17.5 oz. Waxed Cone Selvedge Denim - Used in the Heavy Weight Oiler.

Other Kickstarter Fabrics Used:

Lining - We will be using 10 oz. 100% Umatilla County made pure virgin wool fabric - beautifully woven, very durable and extremely comfortable. This fabric is also machine washable but we highly recommend you never wash a Dig vest - "Faithfully Filthy Deepens The Dirty Soul".

Pocket Lining - The cigarette/Zippo and pistol pockets of the Dig will be lined with a heavyweight waxed cotton fabric which is water repellent & made to last a lifetime. As this fabric ages, it develops a well-worn and comfortable patina, which develops in the same manner that leather ages and burnishes with time. This fabric has been made and sold in America for seven generations and the unique process is cloaked in secrecy.

New Releases

For The Whisky Bones we are using an American-made 14 oz dark indigo denim fabric. This is as heavy as it gets for a modern loom. We are lining this vest with a 10 oz. Japanese made wool/poly blend "Troy" blanket fabric. We will be using our waxed cotton lined pocket fabric and our buttons will be individually cast in bronze like our other designs above. This is offered at $211 through Kickstarter only (would normally retail at $450). We have enough fabric for 55 of these and then all this blanket fabric is gone!

14 oz American-made Denim Fabric - Used in The Whiskey Bones.

10 oz Troy Blanket Fabric - Used in The Whiskey Bones.

Other Rad Details:

Cast Bronze Change Buttons - We've never come across a high-end menswear brand that individually casts their buttons right here in California. We've never come across a high-end brand that casts their buttons at all - most often they are made in China, zinc alloy based buttons, with a faux finish to make them look bronze. We've decided to take matters into our own hands and make them the old fashioned way (see pics below for details on our buttons).

Individually cast in California out of solid bronze. Design modeled after an old invader mag-wheel & functions like old-school change-buttons - can be swapped with different Clutch Monkey button designs or worn on the lining side to show-off the Dig's rev

OUR EXPERIENCE

Prior to starting Clutch Monkey we worked in the children's fashion industry for seven years and created a clothing store in Sebastopol, CA that was ranked #1 in Sonoma County six years in a row by the Bohemian Magazine. Several lines of clothing were developed and were sold all over the country.

Three years ago we launched our men's roadwear line where we sold direct to consumer at our retail pricing selling out of these designs well before they were made.

THE SIZES WE'RE MAKING

XS through to XXL. These run a little bigger than what you would expect so consult the size chart below. If you like to layer underneath make sure you pick a size that leaves you enough room for that. I have two - one that is a size up for layering and one that is a size down for wearing around town with my favorite Tee underneath. You'll select your size after the Kickstarter campaign closes.

QUALITY GUARANTEE

Our vests are made to last a lifetime and we guarantee they are made from the highest quality materials in the world. If anything should happen to your vest we'll repair them free of charge. If your vest tears or comes apart at the seams, send them back to us and we'll fix it.

REWARD IMAGES

THE BACKER

THE KICKSTARTER

THE FIRESTARTER

HOW TO HELP

After you support us, we would love it if you helped spread the word. Email, Facebook, Twitter - whatever's clever!

Risks and challenges

Over the last two years we've completed a number of small Dig Vest production runs with the same experienced partners that we will be working with for the large production effort coming off the successful completion of our Kickstarter. These groups of people are the best in the industry and specialize in the production of large runs of high-end denim garments only. The relationships we have developed with our partners are very strong and the communication and support that has developed over the past two years has been extraordinary. Achieving on-time results & producing premium quality is the cornerstone of our parters' business. Putting this team of partners together was a painstakingly long process but worth it.

With any start-up there are unforeseen hurdles to overcome. All we can do is plan on having the same type of communication with our backers that we have in place with our partners - complete transparency. With that said, we will post updates frequently on our blog outlining our progress and of course any hurdles that come our way and how we plan to overcome them. We have a great team here and we look forward to working with you to make this happen. Many thanks for all of your support.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $100 or more
About $100

THE BENEFACTING BUZZARD - Backstage access and ticket to Clutch Monkey's annual "Valley of the Buzzards" event in Bodega, CA. Headlining band this year will be Orchid from San Francisco. (https://www.facebook.com/ValleyOfTheBuzzards)

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $200 or more
About $200

THE EARLY BUZZARD - One limited edition "Dig" Clutch Monkey Vest. The first 50 we produce will be hand numbered, signed by both of the founders and will ship first. Constructed from 14.5 oz dark indigo selvedge denim and LINED WITH 10 oz. pure virgin wool fabric. Handcrafted in San Francisco, CA. (see pics below of all the RAD quality details and Fabric) *NOTE: One EARLY BUZZARD Reward per person

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $298 or more
About $298

THE HEAVY WEIGHT AMERICAN - One "Dig" Clutch Monkey Vest constructed with 16.7 oz. American made selvedge denim and lined with 10 oz. Sixties Surfer Blue/Yellow plaid Umatilla County made pure virgin wool fabric. Handcrafted in San Francisco, CA. (see pics below of all the RAD quality details and Fabric)

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $311 or more
About $311

THE BLACK - One "Dig" Clutch Monkey Vest constructed from a heavy-weight Japanese selvedge denim and 10 oz. Brick Red plaid Umatilla County made pure virgin wool fabric. Handcrafted in San Francisco, CA.(see pics below of all the RAD quality details and Fabric)

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $1,450 or more
About $1,450

THE SUPREME RULER - One Rad Japan, one Black, one Black & Blue, one Heavy Weight Oiler and one Heavy Weight American. Thats one of everything we make - each reflecting a different mood and to some a mood must go with the proper vest. In addition, those that pledge an amount equal to or greater than this amount will have a shrine built in the South corner of the Clutch Monkey shop and homage will be paid to each Supreme Ruler each sunday. #supremerulersunday